Citation

Betz ME, Villavicencio L, Kandasamy D, Kelley-Baker T, Kim W, DiGuiseppi C, Mielenz TJ, Eby DW, Molnar LJ, Hill L, Strogatz D, Carr DB, Li G. J. Am. Board Fam. Med. 2019; 32(4): 607-613.

Affiliation

From the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO (MEB, DK); AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, Washington, DC (LV, TK-B, WK); Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO (CD); Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY (TJM, GL); Center for Injury Epidemiology and Prevention, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY (TJM, GL); University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute and Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and Safety, Ann Arbor, MI (DWE, LJM); Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California-San Diego, San Diego CA (LH); Bassett Research Institute, Bassett Healthcare Network, Cooperstown, NY (DS); Departments of Medicine and Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO (DBC); Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY (GL).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Board of Family Medicine)

DOI

10.3122/jabfm.2019.04.180326

PMID

31300582

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Older adult drivers may experience decreases in driving safety with age or health status change. Discussing driving safety may help them plan for driving restriction and eventual cessation. Here, we sought to examine conversations between older adults and their family members and physicians.

METHODS: In this multi-site cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the AAA Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD) cohort study, we measured the prevalence and characteristics of family and physician driving discussions. We examined associations between having driving discussions and participant characteristics using multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS: Of 2990 current drivers aged 65 to 79 years (53% female, 85.5% White), only 14.2% reported discussing driving safety with family and 5.5% had discussions with physicians. Men (adjusted OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.66) and those with Master's degrees or higher (adjusted OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.27 to 2.13) more often had family discussions. Those with at least a Master's degree were also more likely to speak with their physician (adjusted OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.17 to 2.68).

CONCLUSION: Few older adults had driving safety conversations with their family or physicians. Practical and effective interventions are needed to engage family and physicians in assisting older adults with risk assessment and driving cessation planning to maintain mobility and well-being.

© Copyright 2019 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Language: en

Keywords

Automobile Driving; Cohort Studies; Communication; Cross-Sectional Studies; Logistic Models; Physician-Patient Relations; Risk Assessment